McMECHEN, W.Va. (WTRF) – West Virginia Governor Jim Justice says schools are all online until further notice. So, teachers across the Ohio Valley have got creative with their online learning and assignments. But, if you know a teacher personally, you know how hard being out of the classroom really is for them. 7News witnessed Center Mcmechen Elementary School teachers connecting with their students in a unique way.

They tell us being away from their kids for the summer is hard enough, but now… they’re not sure when they’ll get to see their kids again. So, they found a heartwarming way to see them… while still practicing social distancing.

Everybody needs some uplifting right now

SHEILA BLACKMORE – 5TH GRADE TEACHER

For students
and teachers across the mountain state, school came to an abrupt halt after
Governor Jim Justice ordered all schools to close until at least April 20th.
But Center McMechen Elementary teachers have had enough. So, they got in their
cars and paraded through town determined to see their kids.

We’ve just really been missing our students so much, and we thought this was a great idea. It was a great way to see them without breaking our social distancing rules and our quarantine issues right now going on.

KELLY SMITH- SCHOOL NURSE, CMES

The route
spanned miles… and so did the line of teachers. With their cars decked out in
signs and window marker, they drove through each neighborhood… honking horns…
hoping to see their kids smiling faces.

This is week three that we’re going on and it has been rough. I mean I think a lot of people act like and think we’re on vacation, which we’re truthfully not. We’re all working from home and doing the best that we can do to stay in contact with all of our students. So, this is a great way to see them face-to-face instead of just a message or a parents post on our Facebook page.

KELLY SMITH- SCHOOL NURSE, CMES

But—to their
surprise, they weren’t the only ones missing school. Students held signs saying
we love you, and we miss you. Others made jokes about how dedicated they were
to be seeing their teachers again.

I was very excited.

KAYLEN DELENO – CMES STUDENT “

Yeah… it was kind of emotional because they’re our family. We love them. We miss them. It was nice to see their signs saying they missed us. That was really sweet.

SHEILA BLACKMORE – 5TH GRADE TEACHER

When
teachers pulled back into the school parking lot, there wasn’t a dry eye in
sight. Because in the light of all this craziness one thing remains constant –
their love.

They are our shining gems. We love them so much. We love all their family members. So, it was great to see them. And it was very emotional.

KELLY SMITH- SCHOOL NURSE

The teachers say the will continue to be creative and find ways to safely connect with their students, including daily video chatting through zoom and skype.